Inclosed switch catch



April 14, f 1 925.

` C. D. PLATT INCLOSED SWITCH CATCH INVENTOR Platt l (ATTORNEY Clarence y l Patented Apr. 14, 1925.,

parures cnaannoan. rna'rr, or Beinenroer, conn-sermon Iiicnosnn swirori entren.

Application led January 27, 1923. Serial No. 615,279.

To Z7 ifi/10m if' 11mg/ concern: i

`Be it lruown that l. Cl/minpunt'. l?. lm'r'r. a citizen ot the `United States ot Anie-rica. and residing at lfridgicport7 in the county ot Fairiield and State ot Connectirut, have invented new and useful lImpri'ivenients in inclosed Switch Catches, of which the 'following' is a specification.

rThis invention relates to inclosed switches and has :t'or its object the provision oit simple, cheap, rugged, easily operated means for `securely 'fastening the cover ot' the switch to the body of the bor.

Fig. 1 is a plan view oit a switch box' embodying' my invention.

Fig'. 2 is a side elevation oi the bonV shown in Fig'. 1. n i f Fire'. 3 is a `traementary end view ot the box `as seen from the left oit Fig22.'

Fin'. lshows a blank from which the strap may be made. and

shows a blanlr for an anchorage or catch.

lin the drawings there is shown a switch box of usual type comprising a body member 1 and a cover member 2 which may be con nectedy thereto as by the hingesk The particular `bon shown yhas side walls fi and end walls 5 intersecting to form corners. rlhe cover has aside flange G and two end flanges. 7 adapted to overlie the corresponding' walls ot tlie'bodyy member of the bon. Any desired type ot electric switch may be mounted in the back ot the .box boty, a simpledouble pole switch 8 being` shown in this case. y y

`Whcn the switch bon'has been installed and the connecting; wires secured to their proper terminals, it is customary to close the box cover and frequently desirable to provide means for locking' the cover in closed position to prevent tampering with the switch connections. l provide tor this purpose a strap 9 preferably made ot sheet metal and means tor connecting` one end of the strap to a convenient portion o't the cover and the other one to an anchorage on the body. I bend the strap at a point intermediate its ends preferably at an angle of C?. Thus the strap is adapted to lie flat against an end member and extend around the corner so as to also lie iiat against a side member. By thus forming the strap l am able to use the simplest type of 'tastening means to hold one end of the strap in proper position relative to one member, for

example. a rivet 10 may pass through a hole 11 near one end oit strap 9 and through an end flange i' oit the cover, the end inside being; upset. This construction permits the strap to rotate freely so that its Ytree end may swing flat against the side wallo't' the body around the corner from the rivet at which point a suitable anchorage is provided to retain the strap. l provide theprojection 12 preferably by striking up a` lug from the material oft the member and this projection 12 is adapted to extend through a slot 13 near the tree end ot strap v9. To hold theY cover tight in closed position l preferably malte the edge of projection 12 which is engaged by the bot-tom edge ot' slot 13 cam shaped so that the bottom oislot 13 will at inist lightly engage` projection 12 when moved troin the dotted line position' (seen at the right oit Fig.` 2) towards the locking vposit-ion and as the tree end is moved nearer to the member carrying' the anchorage bracket. tension will befplaced on the strap until the cover is tightly closed. f desired, a notch 14. may beprovided at the end of the cam surface to prevent accidental displacey ment of the strap after it has once been put in locking position. The projection 12 may be` punched toreceive a `padlock or other suitable means tor. preventing, re moval et the strap therefrom. The strap andanchorag'e members `are also provided with small holes tor receiving` a sealingv means. y i y As yshown at the right end or `the boi: the strap 9 maybe riveted to a side wall o't the box and the anchorage 12 may be around the corner on the end 'flange 7.0i the cover. Ubviously the strap might'be riveted to a side 'flange andthe anchorage be located on an end wall of the boX or it might be riveted to van end wall of the box and the anchorage located on a side 'flange of the cover. It desired straps may be provided at both ends 0f the box arranged either symmetrically or in any desired combination. For convenience 1n lifting the strap from 1s anchorage I preferably bend one of the free lcorners outwardlyfrom the box as shown at 15.

Theriveted end o't the strap may be round as shown in Fig. 3 or square as shown in Fig. 4. The slot 13 will ordinarily be rectangular but might be of some other shape. Where a bracket as '16, is used to provide the anchorage it may be riveted or otherwise secured to the box.

It willbe noted that only three pieces are required to carry out this invention, the rivet or pivot, the strap and the anchorage, the first and last of which may be, it desired, integral with the box. The fastening is very secure since attempts to open the box without first unfastening it only torce the strap more tightly into contact with `the members of the box to which it is secured. vIf desired, the cover need not be hinged to the body but be secured thereto most firmly .the strap secured to the other of said members.

2. In an inclosed switch. a box comprising 'a 'body having walls and a flanged cover therefor, a strap pivoted at one end to a lia-nge for motion in a plane approximately parallel thereto, said strap being bent to extend around a corner of the box, and a catch on oney oit said walls to receive the lother-end of said strap and retain the same.

8. In an inclosed switch, a box comprising a. body membe-r and a cover member each havingend and side portions at substantial angles to one another to form corners, a flat sheet metal strap `having one part lying flat against -one of said end portions of one 'member and hinged at one end thereto for ro-v tation about an axis perpendicular kthereto, said strap having its lother end extending around a corner of the other member, and an -anchorage carried Yby the `other member to latch with saidvstrap whereby the twoi members may be detachably interconnected.

4. In an inclosed switch a sheet metal box body having side and end walls, a cover hinged to the body and having side and end flanges to' overlie the respective body walls, an angular strap having one end pivoted to a flange of said cover and aA slot at the other end, a bracket projecting from one of the walls of the box body around the cornerv from the pivoted end of said strap and adapted to receive an edge of the slot in said strap.

In an inclosed switch box a body member and a cover member therefor, said members each comprising two sheet metal plates located in approximately perpendicular planes and forming corners, a sheet metal strap pivoted to one of said plates on one member for rotation in a plane approximately parallel therewith and having one end bent at right angles to its pivoted portion to extend around a corner, and a catch on one of the plates of the other member perpendicular to the pivoting plate to retain the strap whereby the two members may be detachably interconnected.

6. In an inclosed switch, a box comprising a body member and a cover member each having end and side portions at substantial angles to one another to form corners, a flat sheet metal stra-p having one part lying flat against one of said side portions of one member and secured for rotation about an axis perpendicular thereto as by a pivot, said strap having a bent part adapted to extend around a corner and lie flat against one of the end portions of the other member. and means for connecting the strap to said other member whereby the two members may be detachably interconnected.

7. In an inclosed switch, a box comprising a body member and a cover member, a catch pivoted to one of said members and bent to extend around a corner of the box, and a cam projecting from said other member around the corner from the pivoted end of the catch and adapted upon rotation of the catch to be engaged by an edge of the latter to variably tension the same.

8. In an inclosed switch, a box comprising a. body member and a cover member, a cam projecting from one of said members and a catch pivoted to the other member around a corner of the box from the cam and having a shoulder adapted to be rotated into engagement with the cam to variably tension the catch. Y

CLARENCE D. PLATT. 

